“I know what I did was wrong, and I’m ready to deal with it,” said Royden Sebastien, who pleaded guilty this month to the July 26, 2010 armed robbery of FirstBank in Road Town.
He stood before the High Court yesterday morning and asked for leniency before Justice Albert Redhead handed down his sentence: 20 years in prison.
Addressing the court, Mr. Sebastien said he committed the crime out of desperation.
“I was frustrated because of financial issues,” he explained. “I was just trying to get some quick money to help myself and my family.”
But Mr. Redhead didn’t find the explanation adequate.
“There are lots of people who are frustrated for financial reason,” the judge said. “But you don’t take up a gun and enter a bank for money.”
Mr. Redhead said he considered all of the factors of the case, including the testimony of Mr. Sebastien’s mother, who took the stand yesterday morning.
See the March 21, 2013 edition for full coverage.